In the uncomfortable silence, the car moved away from downtown and headed to a remote location, making me wonder if I was being sold off somewhere. I began to think getting into the car just on the word of Ho Munbeom’s secretary was a mistake, so I took out my phone to search for some kind of Omega emergency contact…
“…”
My eyelids felt heavy. Lee Yeonwoo, with his long double-lidded eyes, blinked several times before looking down at the cake placed on the plate.
Before Yeonwoo even sat down, warm tea and cake had been prepared, seemingly just served. That probably meant it was okay to eat.
After hesitating, he picked up a fork and took a small piece from the corner of the cake to taste. Ah, delicious. Feeling his mind clear from the soft, clean cream flavor spreading on his tongue, Yeonwoo scooped up a larger piece and quickly put it in his mouth.
Come to think of it, he realized he hadn’t been eating properly lately. The lunch provided at the mart was the best meal he managed in a day. In the morning, he’d have milk, and for dinner, he’d cook ramyeon. He knew he could prepare rice and store it in the freezer to at least have decent meals. But strangely, he didn’t feel like doing it. When he first came to Seoul, he used to take better care of his meals.
Maybe his constant tiredness lately was because he wasn’t eating well. From now on, he should cook rice and treat himself to things like this. He had once been shocked that a small piece of cake cost about the same as a meal, but if it tasted this good, it might be worth buying occasionally.
“…This is really delicious.”
He only meant to taste it, but at this rate, he might end up eating the whole thing.
Focused on the cake, Yeonwoo didn’t notice someone standing at the entrance. Carefully lifting the fork to taste small portions of the cake, he only raised his head when he felt a blatant stare on his face. Upon discovering Ho Munbeom, wrapped in a black coat, he accidentally dropped his fork.
The cake stuck on the fork smashed onto the table. Flustered, Yeonwoo glanced back and forth between Ho Munbeom and the fallen fork before abruptly standing up. Without touching anything, the teacup tipped over, making the table even messier.
“Uh…”
Why did this happen? Caught in the unexpected accident, Yeonwoo froze in an awkward standing position. With his mind blank from panic, he parted his lips only to firmly close them again.
Just then, a hand reached out and grabbed Yeonwoo’s wrist on the table.
“Come here.”
“…”
With those words and the pulling hand, Yeonwoo moved out from between the chair and table. Still unable to raise his head, he kept his gaze fixed on the messy table. His profile, staring at the mess as if it were a major incident, was gradually turning pale.
Ho Munbeom, watching that small face, spoke.
“Let’s move seats.”
Only then did Yeonwoo’s head lift upward.
Seeing those large, round eyes looking at him, Ho Munbeom said in an indifferent voice, “We can sit somewhere else. Let’s go.”
There was no response. After blinking a couple of times, Ho Munbeom noticed the slow movement of that small jaw and didn’t hesitate any longer to lead Yeonwoo away. For a brief moment, there seemed to be resistance in the held arm, but soon Yeonwoo followed obediently.
It wouldn’t have mattered if he had resisted. Visibly thin Yeonwoo couldn’t possibly withstand Ho Munbeom’s pulling force.
By the way, his wrist was truly slender. Omegas typically had thin frames, but this one seemed particularly skinny. Noticing this, Ho Munbeom repeatedly squeezed and released Yeonwoo’s wrist firmly.
The new place they moved to was a wide-open area.
Although they were the only ones in the cafe, Yeonwoo wondered if it was okay to sit in such an exposed spot. They had come to this deserted, even gloomy place precisely to avoid people’s gazes, hadn’t they?
While Yeonwoo hesitated, Ho Munbeom took off his coat, casually draped it over a nearby chair, and sat down. Crossing his legs, he looked up at Yeonwoo who was still standing. Yeonwoo, who had been watching these actions, unconsciously pulled a chair and sat down at Munbeom’s gaze.
“…”
To think he would be sitting across from Ho Munbeom again. This situation felt indescribably awkward and strange.
Yeonwoo carefully clasped his hands on the table. He tried to alleviate the immediate awkwardness by pressing his thumbs together or rubbing his nails.
Ho Munbeom looked at Yeonwoo’s hands. They were small. Particularly noticing the light pink nails, he raised his head.
Yeonwoo had been unable to look directly at him since earlier. Having received a sudden call and being brought to an unfamiliar place, this situation would naturally be uncomfortable. While thinking this, Ho Munbeom’s eyes were examining whether Yeonwoo’s uncomfortable and awkward demeanor was “fabricated.”
In his 33 years of life, countless people had intentionally approached him. After going abroad due to several incidents in Korea, things improved somewhat, but being an ultra-alpha still made him a target even there.
Being part of the Ho Group afforded him some privacy protection. Nevertheless, having suffered from pheromone-related issues since childhood, he despised everyone—Omega or Alpha—who released even the slightest pheromone in his presence. His grandfather must have known this when he set up this ridiculous arrangement.
In early last year, news of Ho Group Chairman Ho Jaejung’s illness had stirred both domestic and international communities.
When rumors of Chairman Ho Jaejung’s critical condition circulated and the group’s stock rapidly declined, Ho Munbeom could no longer remain abroad. He hastened his return, only to find Ho Jaejung leisurely peeling tangerines in the VVIP room of Ho Hospital. Surrounded by various fruits, which he was sharing with his attending physician, caregiver, and guards, Ho Jaejung saw his grandson’s terrifyingly stern face and pouted.
‘You’re here? It’s damn hard to see your face. Come quickly and try this. Someone got it for me, and it tastes absolutely amazing.’
‘…’
‘After finishing these, should we order pork hocks, buckwheat noodles, and have some makgeolli? Doctor, how’s your afternoon schedule?’
Ho Jaejung, gesturing with a fruit knife for Ho Munbeom to come closer, looked at his attending physician.
The director of Ho Hospital, who had been looking after the Ho Group family’s health for two generations following his father, was discreetly watching Ho Munbeom’s reaction while munching on a juicy pear. Though Ho Munbeom was young enough to be the director’s son, he couldn’t treat him like his actual children. Besides, seeing that face that looked like it wanted to throw everything in sight made it uncomfortable to continue sitting there.
The attending physician swallowed what was in his mouth and carefully rose.
‘Chairman, I have afternoon rounds, so I’ll excuse myself. For your health, let’s have the pork hocks and makgeolli another time. I’ll let you know when I have a day off.’
The director gave a look to the caregiver and guards, urging them to get up too.
Those who had been feeling like they were sitting on pins and needles since Ho Munbeom’s arrival quickly stood up. But faster than them, a hand grabbed the doctor’s coat.
‘Where are you going? You can’t leave me alone with him!’
‘…Chairman.’
While he would help with most matters, this was an exception. The mid-50s attending physician smiled kindly while callously removing the chairman’s hand.
‘I must go now. Goodbye.’
He wanted no part in family matters.
The attending physician moved quickly before the chairman could grab him again. He didn’t forget to bow respectfully to Ho Munbeom before leaving. Ho Munbeom cast a cold gaze at him.
So this was why he couldn’t get clear answers whenever he called to inquire about his grandfather’s sudden collapse.
Thus, only grandfather and grandson remained in the VVIP hospital room.
Seemingly aware of how absurd his actions were, Ho Jaejung couldn’t look Ho Munbeom straight in the eye. Gone was the man who had held his head high before politicians trying to squeeze funds from Ho Group, saying firmly, “That’s not possible. We cannot pay that money.” Instead, there was only an ordinary old man, rolling a tangerine in his hand before tentatively offering it to Ho Munbeom.
‘…Want one?’
‘…’
Ho Munbeom closed his eyes and tilted his head back.
Calm down, just calm down. But he couldn’t. As soon as Ho Munbeom took a step, Ho Jaejung burst out first.
‘I told you to come back when I asked! Do you think I don’t know you were planning to never return and expand your operations there?!’
‘…Am I doing this for my own benefit?! This is an opportunity for Ho Group to establish itself properly, and instead of supporting that, you, as the chairman, use illness as an excuse to drop the group’s stock?!!’
‘The stock jumped three times higher as soon as news of your return broke! See! This is what people want! So stop doing useless things, just come back! Get married! Have children! Give me a great-grandchild!!’
